Please Note:
The below itinerary is suggested but can be customized to add activities such as flying into a remote alpine lake where we can camp for a couple of nights and extend our trip with additional hiking as well as fantastic fly fishing for lake trout (we provide the fly fishing gear & instruction). Additional cost: +$2,000.00 divided by the total number of guests involved due to the increased helicopter time.
Day 1.
Arrive at the Whitehorse, Yukon airport on the afternoon flight, or picked up at your hotel by Uncommon Journeys staff for the drive to our Wilderness Lodge, “the Homestead”. This evening we will have a dogsledding demonstration including training runs on the ATV (all terrain vehicle) with an enthusiastic dog team, weather permitting, as well as reviewing the hiking routes for the next couple of days. Dinner is in the main log cabin with accommodation in log cabins or yurts. Guests may wish to enjoy our hot tub on the deck. Take a walk on local trails, or try your hand at fly-fishing from the shores of Scout Lake.
Day 2.
Fly into our Yurt Basecamp by helicopter to drop our gear, then fly to the summit of Mount Ingram for the day hike down including an alpine lunch at a spectacular viewpoint. If we’re lucky we will spot the resident herd of Dall Sheep and their babies that inhabit this range. Tonight we sleep in Mongolian style yurts at our basecamp and enjoy a well-deserved sauna and swim in the Ibex River.
Day 3.
Today we will hike in the Ibex River Valley where we will follow a game trail of the local wolf pack, exploring the beaver dams and the pristine wilderness of this beautiful valley. We will spend the evening at the yurts and once again enjoy a delicious meal cooked on the wood stove in the main yurt. Fishing gear will be available for folks who want to try their hand at catching the arctic grayling in the beautiful Ibex River.
Day 4.
We hike out of the basecamp this morning and are picked up at the trail head by an Uncommon Journeys vehicle and driven back to our Uncommon Journey’s Wilderness Lodge. In the afternoon we will pack for our river trip and spend an hour or two on Scout Lake reviewing paddling strokes for the next day’s river descent, and fishing if you desire. The evening is spent at the homestead with a delicious meal in the main cabin.
Day 5.
We drive to Kusawa Lake, headwaters of the Takhini River, about 45 minutes from our lodge. The Takhini is a beautiful mountain river nestled between mountains whose crystal clear water is home to hundreds of spawning salmon in the fall. It is a perfect teaching river for guests who have novice moving water paddling skills. We will load our boats and paddle the river down to Mendenhall Landing, stopping for lunch at a beautiful Class II rapid where we will enjoy the thrill of running whitewater in an open canoe. Guests can also opt to walk around the rapid on the short trail. At the end of the river run we return to the homestead for dinner and our final evening celebration and hot tub!
